Celebrate insects in art and the art of being an insect this September (4th – 6th) and make sure you visit London Wildlife Trusts’ Urban Insect Garden on the Clore Ballroom balcony of the Royal Festival Hall.

Pestival is a rare creature: an international, inter-disciplinary, community-led festival. Most events are free and include insect-inspired comedy, music, ID walks, talks, workshops, experiments, fashion and a termite inspired architectural structure at the centre of Pestival 2009.

80% of creatures on earth are insects, the 'pests' without whom humans wouldn't survive. Pestival 2009 celebrates how insects shape our world, and how humans shape the world of insects, in both science and the arts.

Pestival is in its second edition and has been described as “a rare and wonderful celebration of the creepy crawly” (The Independent). Swarm on the Southbank Centre, 4 - 6 September and put insects on the cultural map - before it's too late.

London Wildlife Trust is creating an Urban Insect Garden especially for the event, based on our gold medal winning Life Cycle Garden and including a stunning habitat wall (AKA the bug palace). Discover how to encourage nature back into your city life and meet the experts for some top tips on how to recreate your own insect garden at home.

The Urban Insect Garden is a special urban hangout and nature garden created by London Wildlife Trust and a resident giant stag beetle. With over three million gardens in Greater London, and the challenges of climate change and habitat fragmentation, this massive expanse of urban green space has enormous untapped potential for both people and wildlife. London Wildlife Trust challenges you go straight back home and have a mini Pestival of your own.

For more info visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk/festivals-series/pestival